Category: Writers

Speaking is a powerful way to connect with an audience. However, you are limited by the number of people you can reach at any one time. Writing allows you to connect with a larger audience. In addition, writing enables you to position yourself as an expert in your chosen or called field. Writing also allows you to strengthen your message through editing & various forms of writing. These posts & articles give you tips, resources & ideas to help you begin writing as part of your ministry & build it into the powerful tool it is for sharing ideas & encouragement with other women.

I had the opportunity to witness a book signing by one of the top 25 authors in America. I must say, I was very excited before the event. I was not nearly as excited after the event. Watching the whole thing unfold was truly a leaning experience for me. Based on the things I learned during the event, I offer these guidelines.

I wish I could say I developed this list based on the wonderful example set by the author I watched. Unfortunately, most of these 10 tips were based on the negative example I witnessed. Being The Extreme Diva, though, I took the negative and created a positive. Some of the tips are applicable for any size event while others are to be used for large events. Of course, being Divas, I know all of your events are well attended!

Oh, I am not going to tell you who the author was. Unfortunately, I have seen other authors do the very same things that were done during this event. Ah, well, not everyone is an Extreme Diva!

10 Tips to a Dazzling Event

Make Your Needs Know: Before the event, be sure you let the store know about any specific needs you have. If you want water always available to you as you sign, tell them. If you want to arrange for refreshments, let them know. In fact, take time now to create a list that can be sent to each book store to help them prepare for your event. You or your people should not have to re-invent the wheel for every event. Set a standard at the beginning, tweak it a bit as you go along and stick with it.

Put Your Best Foot Forward: As soon as the event is booked, send a brief note to the store thanking them for hosting the event and letting them know how much you look forward to working with them. The staff will go the extra mile for you if you make them part of the team right from the beginning.

Dress for the Occasion: Book signings may be old hat for you eventually but they are a big event for the people who turn out just to see you. Dress for the occasion. I am so tired of seeing authors who look like they are on their way to the mall and lunch out with the “girls.” You are the star of the show and you should dress accordingly. Marita Littauer encourages students in her CLASSeminar to dress “one step above the audience” when they go out to speak. You should do the same.

Treat Every Event Like It is Your First: You want to do this on 2 levels: First, remember the excitement you felt as you prepared for your very first event. Put that same amount of excitement into EVERY event you do; second, even if you already did a radio interview, another book signing and still have a presentation scheduled for that evening, you must tell yourself “this is my first event and I am full of energy!” People have gone to a lot of effort for you. You should do the same for them.

Make Your Acknowledgements: When you arrive at the store, before you begin, you should acknowledge the crowd. Thank them for coming. Tell them how glad you are to be there and how much you look forward to meeting with each of them. This quick welcome will hold them over until they have a chance to meet you face to face.

Thank the “Little People”: Before you begin, you also want to take the time to thank the bookstore staff in public. Encourage the crowd to show the staff their appreciation for all the hard work that went into preparing for the event.

Treat Each Customer as the Only Customer: As each customer comes up to meet with you, treat them as if no one else was waiting. Avoid checking the size of the line behind them. Avoid looking at your watch. If someone is taking too much time, have a small signal for the support staff and let that person encourage the customer to move on. Let them be the bad guy but in a very polite manner.

Treat the “Little People” Well: You might sell lots of books during the event which is good for you and the store. You might believe all the money you bring in during the event is enough. After all, selling books is their job! Well, once you leave, you become one of the hundreds and hundreds of authors whose books are sold by that store. If you make a bad impression on the staff, it just may influence how well they hand sell your books in the future. Treat the staff well. They are part of your team, helping to make your books a success. They have gone to a lot of trouble preparing for your event and they are being slightly inconvenienced by your event. Treat them well because it is the right thing to do and as an added bonus, it helps sell books in the long run.

A Final Thanks: When the last customer leaves and the dust settles, be sure to take the time to thank the staff one more time. Let them know that you know how much trouble events can be and you appreciate their help making your books a success. Tell them that best sellers are a team effort and you are glad to have them on your team.

Remember Your Manners: Send a note of thanks to the Event Planner for the store, thanking them one last time for your event. If possible, send a gift to the store to thank the staff, especially if the event was really successful. They will be more than happy to have you back when your next book comes out.

It really doesn’t take much to dazzle both your customers and the staff. Treat everyone with respect and patience and you will be the one who benefits time and time again.

Beginning a new endeavor like writing can be frightening. You have an idea and you can’t wait to share it with publishers. Still, you’re afraid they might not like it. While no one can guarantee your success, there are steps you can take to insure you’re as prepared as possible:

Be Professional: Writing is a profession. The better you are, the greater your chances of getting published. Sending out a query letter or proposal is like sending out your resume. You’re applying for the job of writing your book. Editors are willing to work with first time authors if they demonstrate a professional attitude.

Do Your Homework: Publishers make it well known what categories of books they publish. Many even list the specific material they do not want to see. It is a waste of everyone’s time when authors fail to do their homework, flooding editors with material that is of no interest to them. Send your information to the publishers who are most likely to be interested in it.

Keep Query Letters Short: And to the point. You’re excited about your book. That’s fine. However, when you prepare your query letter, you want to get your point across in as few words as possible. If your book cannot be summarized in a few short paragraphs, how will the publisher create a back cover synopsis for your book?

Knock Out Proposals: A good proposal takes time and effort. You need to do your research to get it right the first time. There are many good books on the market that help you put your proposal together and include all the elements necessary. While you want to submit your proposal in a timely manner, you also want to be certain it reflects your professionalism. Take the time to do it right.

Marketing: Never underestimate the power of marketing. A solid marketing plan can make all the difference to the success of your book. If you develop a strong plan in the beginning, it’s easier to follow up when you have a finished product in your hand. Once you have signed a contract to be published, put the marketing machine into action.

Speak Up: Publishers are looking for authors who have a ready made platform, an audience that will buy their books. If you are a professional speaker, you have that audience. If you are not speaking, you should seriously consider pursuing a speaking career to go along with your writing.

Hone Your Skills: Writing is a growing process. Work to improve your writing skills as long as you pursue a career in writing. If you have a weakness in one area, work to strengthen it.

Writing is a serious business that can offer a certain amount of fun and a lot of satisfaction. Work to remain on top of the game and you will continue to sell books year after year.